U.S. Nationals: Natalie Hinds, Shaine Casas Grab Top Seeds in 100 Free
Natalie Hinds cruised to the top seed with a smooth 54.12 in prelims of the women’s 100 freestyle Tuesday morning to open the Phillips 66 Nationals. On the men’s side, Shaine Casas set the pace, leading a quintet of 48s to the wall.
Hinds bossed the final heat of nine in the women’s event, gliding out in front of the field and shutting it down late. She still was easily the top seed, leading a veteran top three into the final. Mallory Comerford took second place in prelims for an inside lane in finals in 54.28. Third place went to Gabi Albiero in 54.47.
The youth movement follows. The fourth seed went to 16-year-old Erika Pelaez, who went 54.65, a best time by more than a second and the sixth-fastest all-time for a 15-16 year old. Erin Gemmell was sixth, behind Chloe Stepanek.
Veterans Kelly Pash and Catie DeLoof find themselves in the B final, in ninth and 10th, respectively. So is Beata Nelson, who tied for 13th place.
Casas was likewise plenty smooth in his swim, setting the pace at 48.28 seconds ahead of a loaded field. Matt King was second in 48.33, a best time by a half-second turned in in the lane next to Casas in the seventh heat out of nine. That heat also produced fourth seed Kieran Smith, the Olympic medalist going 48.86 in an event that is a little outside his normal wheelhouse.
Zach Apple won the penultimate heat in 48.47, good for third overall. Final heat victor was Justin Ress, earning him the fifth seed in 49.89. He’s joined by Luke Maurer, Destin Lasco and Danny Krueger in the final.
That means that Andrei Minakov, the top seed entering the morning, misses out on the A final. He is ninth in 49.15, .03 back of Krueger.
